Improvement in car-brakes



.c. roa uaens.

Car-Brake.

Patented Fe'b. 2,1875.

No. l59,310.

NITED S res CARL FOGELBERG, OF OAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,310, dated February'fl, 1375; application filed December 2, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARL FOGELBERG, of Oambridgeport, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to improvements in car-brakes and consists in mechanism, hereinafter described, whereby the slacking of the I speed of the car, the stopping of the engine,

or the disengagement of the cars will put down the brakes.

All brakes heretofore used have been operated at the will of the engineer or brakeman, but so far as I am aware the brake mechanism has never been so constructed that the brakes are self-operating when the. brake is put on the engine or the cars are disconnected. This latter feature is very important, for it frequently happens that one portion of a train becomes disconnected from another portion, and with my improved brake mechanism the cars disconnected or left detached are immediately checked.

Figure l is a side view of a platform of a car provided with my invention, and with the parts in position to commence operating the brake. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the parts in the position they occupy when running properly on the road; and Fig. 3 is a bottom or plan view.

A represents the platform of the car-body, whether freight or passenger, and of any suitable construction, being supported on axles a and having wheels (0 and bumpers c of any ordinary or suitable construction, shown as connected by a coupling-link held by pins a On one of the axles a I mount an eccentrio, 1), arranged to strike, when desired, a radius-bar, c, pivoted to a hanger, m, carrying a pawl, controlled by a spring, o and a link, 8, and adapted to engage, when desired, a ratchet-wheel, d, on a shaft, 6, held in hangers attached to the bottom of the car. This shaft e also carries, next the ratchet d, an eccentric cylinder-drum, or hub, e, on which the brake-chainis wound, and a second ratchet, f, the latter being provided with a pivoted pawl, 1, controlled, as the pawl c. by means of a spring and link, 8 these pawl-operating links 8 8 being connected with the pawls by means of pins 8, that enter slots in the end of the links, and the links are connected with an elbow-lever, p, pivoted to a hanger, g. This elbow-lever 19 has a lifting-link, o, by which to lift the radius-bar c and keep it out of the way of the eccentric b,- and when lifted the pawls c l are also held back from their ratchets df, their links being connected with the elbow-lever, and the ratchets cannot then be worked as the car moves. This elbow-lever has a connecting-rod, r, movable in a hanger, 0c, and provided with a hook, r, or other suitable connecting device adapted to hook on the coupling-pin a or other suitable part of the adjacent car, the connecting device being of suitable form to engage with a portion of the adjacent car, and so that when the coupling between the cars is in place and the cars are running properly forward, each drawing the one behind it, the link and elbow will be held forward, as in Fig. 2, and the radius-bar 0 will be held just above the eccentric, and the brakes will be 01f. Now, should the engineer attempt to stop the engine, thus allowing the cars to approach nearer to and crowd each other, then the bumpers, coming close together, will allow the rod 1' to move in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the radiusbar 0 will be lowered, the pawls c I will e11- gage the ratchets, and as the radius-bar moves under the action of the eccentric I) its pawl 0 turns the ratchet d and its shaft 0, and attached eccentric and ratchet f, from the position shown in Fig. 2, winding the chain 9 on the eccentric drum or cylinder 6, the pawl Z acting only as a detent-pawl for the ratchet f and shaft 6. The winding of the chain 9 draws the rod g, connected to the lever h, held in a bracket projecting from frame k provided with brakes [L3, and draws said brakes against the hind wheels, and at the same time the lever h moves on its fulcrum, and by means of rod 1', connected with the opposite brake-frame 1), draws brakes or shoes j against the forward wheels. These brake -frames 7L2 2' are connected, by means of spring-arms k, with the car. The starting up of the engine draws the cars apart, pulls out link 1, moves elbow-lever p, and draws back the detent-pawl l and the pawl 0 and frees the shaft 6, and allows the shaft to turn backward and unwind the chain and loosen the brakes. The pin a on wheel d governs the back motion of the ratchet.

When the cars are run backward the brake mechanism will be engaged, and would check the backward movement if means were not provided for elevating the detaining-pawl l; and for this purpose I use a bent rod or suitable lifting device, m, having a handle, 11, con nected, by a suitable strap or cord, 10, with a slide-rod, 0, supported at the side or under the car. Each car has a slide, 0, or its equivalent, connected together, and together movable by the engineer, who can, Whenever he desires, move such rods, lift the detent-pawl, and prevent the winding of the chain, and consequently the application of the brakes.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction of the details of the brake mechanism as operated by the chain 9, as I may use any wellknown form of brakes. The connecting-rod,

when drawn out, throws the radius-bar and brake mechanism in such position that the brake cannot be put down, but when shoved or wound back lowers the radius-bar and puts the brake mechanism into action. Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The winding-drum of the brake mechanism and its actuating-ratchet, combined with a pawl, pawl supporting and connecting devices, and cam 11, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the shaft a of eccentric or cam I), radius-bar c, pawl 0 ratchet d, and winding-cylinder, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination, the rod 1*, lever q, link 0, bar a, and pawl 0 and ratchet and windingcylinder, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The rod 1" and lever 19, in combination with the links 8 s and pawls c l, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The slide-rod 0 and pawl-lifting device m, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL FOGELBERG.

itnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, S. B. KIDDER. 

